Chichi

Second half 19th century, 199 x 123 cm, East Caucasus, Kuba region

This immaculately drawn chichi presents the wide border section that is typical of the provenance, here composed of seven bands. No other Caucasian rug group has borders woven in designs as elaborate as this. The narrow, midnight blue field is hermetically covered in a dense Khyrdagyd repeat of hooked stepped polygons and small octagons embedded in a lattice of serrated leaves. The appeal of this finely woven example lies in its rich range of unfaded colours. – Two small rewoven areas along the upper and lower finishes, good overall condition, original selvedges.

GROTE-HASENBALG, WERNER, Der Orientteppich. Seine Geschichte und seine Kultur. Berlin 1922, Band II, Tf.31 *** HERRMANN, EBERHART, Von Konya bis Kokand. Seltene Orientteppiche III. München 1980, Nr.40